Russell WBHO was appointed by Bruntwood Sci Tech to deliver the only hotel and car park to feature in the £750m Circle Square regeneration programme.
The first ten floors of the 16 storey building, located directly next to the A34 Mancunian Way elevated ring road, encompass a 1,014 space car park. Above this is a 158 bedroom hotel for operator Premier Inn, Russell WBHO’s second for the operator in Manchester city centre.
Bringing to life the eye catching Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios design, Russell WBHO selected a structural steel frame with pre-cast concrete cores and slabs with inset bricks slip cladding for the car park, and an architectural aluminium veil with curtain walling at the ninth floor for the hotel.
Two distinct challenges faced the project team, the site’s proximity to neighbouring development in this busy regeneration area, and the operator’s sustainability requirements, chiefly reduction in operational fossil fuel use.
Outline agreements and regular liaison between contractors and clients, and the city council and highways, ensured the proximity issues were dealt with appropriately and did not impact on the project.
Russell WBHO’s in-house sustainability lead, in conjunction with client representatives and consultants, undertook feasibility studies and devised a solution to achieve client requirements to better Part L with regards conservation of fuel and power, meet BREEAM Very Good, and reduce operational fuel use.
Following the Be Lean, Be Clean, Be Green agenda, the end result was 34% betterment of Part L, a score just 4% of BREEAM Excellent, use of a solar PV system to provide most of the building’s electrical requirements, and the installation of an HVAC system un-reliant on gas which would save the operator around £11,000 per annum in fossil fuel bills.
